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"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: ... a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak" (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 7).

Monday, July 7, 2014

Brain Dead?

For the last few weeks, I've been contemplating, more like wracking my brain, to figure out what the topic of today's post will be.

I had it all figured out when I signed up for July 7th. I could see it all in my head. Perfect. Since we were on the tails of July 4th and since our nation was in such mess, I wanted to talk about Freedom. Talk about how Freedom isn't Free. How with Freedom comes responsibility. I wanted to take a look at why some think that everything is supposed to free for them, while forgetting that someone is paying or has paid for it. And yet, it doesn't matter, they still want what they want and how they want it.

I wanted to delve into how the foundation of our country has been crumbling, because we haven't taken the responsibility we should and allowed a few people to rewrite the law for the whole.

But the words wouldn't come.

Then I thought to talk about mosquitoes. About how they slip in silently, (well some do) usually through a door or window you left open, and how the little vampires take our blood, carry diseases. And some of us aren't even aware they visited until we are left with an itch. We set defenses of spray and use zappers and swatters to stop them but somehow one or more slips through. People have been left paralyzed and some killed from this tiny little seemingly insignificant insect

I hoped to remind us that sin does the same thing, at first it's just a little thing that slips in through the doors we open, but that little thing can grow and sicken the people we love. But again, I couldn't get the words together to say what I wanted in an eloquent way.

I was brain dead, brain zapped, brain idea deficient.

But now as I'm writing this post, I realize my brain has been onboard all along. It was putting ideas out there like a lightbulb on steroids.

It wasn't my mind that was on the blink. It was my heart.

They may have been interesting, (although aren't you glad I didn't decide on the mosquitoes?) but my heart wasn't drawn in by the topics I was trying to write about. It kept wincing."Okay those topics could be interesting, but do they touch anyone? Do they touch you?"

I'd argue back that the Topics did touch me, they were both subjects that set my thoughts on fire, ( especially the one that has me itching bites into welts). I'm saddened by what is going in our country and by how some people think everyone else should carry them. How there's little responsibility for actions.

And I most seriously loathe mosquitoes and sin.

"So why aren't the words coming together? Why are your ideas all over the place?'Cause so much is going on in the world and--Yes, there is a lot going on. Yes, the ideas might be interesting, but your heart isn't vested in them.
My heart wasn't vested? Hmm. Could it be? I thought it was. But every writer knows that if the heart of the writer isn't touched on some level, their words probably won't touch their readers either.

And I so want to touch my readers.

I needed to pray about it. Pray for the topic the Lord wanted me to have. And then it hit me.

Pray about it. What does that mean?

That means casting my cares on the Lord. And I have a few. That means realizing that I can't change the world, but He can. That means joining with others to lift our request before the Lord. That means being open and honest and vulnerable. That means looking to the Truth for Truth.

For myself and my country.

2 Chronicles 7:14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (NIV)
As I was considering this further, I was heartened to find a link to others who felt compelled to pray for the country and I could join them. Here's the link from Anne Graham Lotz about 777 An Urgent Call to Prayer.

If you're concerned about all that's going on in the country. This site might be for you. 777 An Urgent Call to Prayer. I realize this is the last day set aside on the site, but you can continue to pray past the date, at anytime, anywhere.

Perhaps it's not the state of the union or world that has been weighing on you lately. Maybe something else has top place in your prayer list. Sickness, finances, employment, other concerns

Share it. Or just say you need prayer. Let us help you carry it. If you have a praise you're welcome to share it too.

We have been blessed with a lot. Not only in our country, but through Christ, and with those blessings comes responsibility.

One of those is to pray for our leaders and each other.

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior…” -1 Timothy 2:1-3 (NIV)

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